Naan and Napa in an unexpected pairing
Virginia Beach · Virginia Beach · Indian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 30, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You don't walk into an Indian restaurant on Upton Drive expecting to see Caymus and Stag's Leap on the wine list — but here we are. The list is tighter than a tasting menu but punches above its weight for a neighborhood curry spot. Wine Spectator has been giving this place its Award of Excellence since 2014, which tells you this isn't an accident.
The list runs 50-80 bottles with a clear lean toward California and France — the exact two regions where Indian food and wine actually have a fighting chance together. Caymus Cabernet and Jordan Cab anchor the California side with recognizable names that won't scare off a first-time wine drinker, while Louis Jadot flies the French flag with reliable Burgundy. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling showing up is the smartest move on this list — Riesling and Indian food is one of the great underrated pairings in the world. The gaps are real: no rosé, no sparkling, and the Southern Hemisphere is completely absent — but for what it is, the curation is deliberate.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass gives you a reasonable runway to experiment without committing to a bottle. We'd expect to find the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling and at least one of the California Cabs available by the glass, which is exactly what a table splitting between butter chicken and lamb rogan josh needs. Rotation doesn't appear to be aggressive — this reads more like a stable program than a dynamic one.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $30
At the low end of the price range and almost certainly the most food-friendly bottle on the list. Off-dry Riesling cuts through spice, balances heat, and costs a fraction of the Cabernets. This is the order.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Most tables at an Indian restaurant will reflexively grab a Cabernet, but a Jadot Burgundy — lighter, earthier, with enough acid to handle a complex sauce — is quietly the right move for a table going heavy on vegetarian dishes like Saag Paneer.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a fine wine, but at restaurant markup it's almost always overpriced relative to what you're getting, and a big jammy Cab is fighting the spices on this menu rather than working with them. There are better calls here.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Chicken Tikka Masala
The gentle sweetness and bright acidity in the Riesling acts like a fire extinguisher for the spice and a flavor amplifier for the tomato-cream sauce. It's the rare restaurant pairing that actually makes both the food and the wine taste better.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Masala Bites is exactly the kind of Wild Card that earns its stripes — a well-considered wine list in a place you'd never think to look for one. Send your friends who claim wine doesn't work with Indian food; the Riesling will change their minds.
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